On Sunday, July 7, 2024, Aiah Arceta, a member of the popular P-pop girl group BINI, took to her Instagram Stories to address an uncomfortable encounter during her private trip to Cebu.
The incident gained attention after a video surfaced on social media, showing a man approaching her inside a bar.
In her statement, the talented P-pop idol highlighted that some individuals still fail to grasp the importance of privacy and respect during her personal time off.
In her words (published as is), “I also want to take this opportunity to speak up about my recent trip to Cebu, where I went home in the hopes of de-stressing, relaxing, and enjoying my time with family and friends.
“I got to bond with them, and I was extremely happy to do so.
“However, there were still times when other people would not understand the need for privacy and personal time.
“Some would directly run up to me, grab a photo (even while I was eating), post it in real-time, use my face and post it on pages or places for the sake of clout and publicity without my consent, and worse, some would even include the real-time location, which I don't think is safe.”
BINI AIAH APPEALS FOR PERSONAL RESPECT, PRIVACY
While Aiah enjoys meeting people who share her passion for music, she hopes they recognize and respect her as an individual.
She continued (published as is), “Don't get me wrong, I like taking pictures with others, and I enjoy meeting people who are as passionate as we are in the world of music and entertainment.
“It also warms my heart to hear and see people slowly learning more about me and my group, Bini. But I just hope that people also see and respect us as human beings.
“We don't always get to go out lately because we have been busy with work, and the least we can ask for is for others to respect our personal time and our humanity.”
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BINI’S AIAH ASKS NETIZENS TO PRACTICE KINDNESS ONLINE
Despite Aiah’s recent absence from social media platforms, the P-pop star expressed gratitude toward those who have been patient with her during this challenging time.
“I haven't been active lately on social media, and I haven't been very responsive to messages, even from some of my family and friends.
“The truth is, a lot of things have been happening lately, and I just needed some time and space to process them.
“I appreciate and am grateful to everyone who has been so kind, understanding, and patient with me.
“I am blessed to have people like them, and I hope we can continue to have eyes that can see the good, mouths that can speak what's right, and ears that can listen and understand.”
To end her statement, the 23-year-old star encourages netizens to practice kindness online.
She wrote (published as is), “Lastly, I also want to remind everyone to be kinder with their words and actions, especially when expressed online.
“You never know how much it could take a toll on somebody and affect them on a daily basis.
“I hope we can fill this world with love, respect, and positivity.”
The individual involved in the uncomfortable encounter, later identified as AJ Fernan, revealed that he privately apologized to Aiah via Facebook. At press time, AJ has locked his profile.
BINI GETS ASSURANCE FROM STAR MAGIC
On July 4, 2024, Star Magic issued a statement, emphasizing the importance of personal space and privacy for their talents.
“Rest assured that we will take appropriate action to protect our artists,” it added.
Formed at ABS-CBN's Star Hunt Academy, BINI is composed of Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna, and Sheena.
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